1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computer systems, and more particularly to a computer security system having a password recovery function.
2. Description of the Related Art
Personal computer systems have been provided with security systems which prevent unauthorized system use or access to data stored therein. Usually, the security system is supported by a BIOS setup utility of the BIOS ROM installed in the computer motherboard. The motherboard's BIOS setup program provides a "user password setup" which allows users to set or change his or her own password. Once the password is set, access to the system or use of the BIOS setup program is limited by a "security option setup." With this, each time the system is turned on and the Self Test is finished, the password prompt appears in the monitor. Optionally, the password prompt only appears if one attempts to enter the setup program. If the correct password is not entered, the system will not boot and access to the setup will be denied.
However, incidentally, living in modern life which requires various passwords, one is apt to forget the password set in the computer. If one's computer password is forgotten, he cannot use his own computer at once. It is necessary for user to disable the security function by selecting a password setting in the BIOS setup program or by setting a specific jumper in the motherboard to clear CMOS memory data. With this, all setup information is lost and the BIOS setup program must be run again. Further, the BIOS setting for disabling the security and the jumper setting for re-entering the configuration settings is difficult for ordinary users. Thus, in this case, most of the users ask the computer manufacturer to repair or recover the password of the computer. The service center will identify the user to determine if he is registered and perform the operations necessary to make the computer usable or re-enter the user password. Eventually, once the computer password is forgotten or lost, there is no way to recover the password set in the computer. Further, clearing the password and re-entering the configuration settings performed by the computer user or a service center is time-consuming and troublesome.
The following patents each disclose features in common with the present invention but do not teach or suggest a computer system having a password recovering function as in the present invention: U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,762 to Morisawa et al., entitled Computer With Password Processing Function And Password Processing Method Of Comnputer, U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,663 to Kadooka, entitled Password Updating System To Vary The Password Updating Intervals According To Access Frequency, U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,475 to Johnson et al., entitled Method And System For Variable Password Access, U.S. Pat. No. 5,684,9 51 to Goldman et al., entitled Method And System For User Authorization Over A Multi-User Computer System, U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,315 to Gaskins, entitled Security Method For Protecting Electronically Stored Data, U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,839 to Watson et al., entitled Method And Structure For Securing Access To A Computer System, U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,163 to Golding et al., entitled Computer System Security Device, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,091,939 to Cole et al., entitled Method And Apparatus For Password Protection Of A Computer.